


What It's Like Next to You

by catalytic



Category: The Transformers (IDW Generation One), Transformers - All Media Types
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff, Implied Dratchet if you squint, M/M, Some vague cuddling
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-18
Updated: 2016-05-18
Packaged: 2018-06-09 04:11:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,512
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6889393
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/catalytic/pseuds/catalytic
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rodimus, Starscream, and Drift have a drink together on the Lost Light while it's docked in Cybertron. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Another Rodistar drabble. AU in which they're already together and etc. Also an AU in which Drift and Ratchet have already returned to the Lost Light for at least a little bit. Mostly just Drift and Rodimus talking and Rodimus and Starscream playing tetris.</p>
            </blockquote>





	What It's Like Next to You

**Author's Note:**

> Hi again! Still here with the Rodistar. Another Drabble that got away from me. I headcanon that Starscream and Rodimus would totally race for fun and etc. Please let me know if you have any crit, or comments, or if you just liked it! Comments are fun.

“I’m surprised you two don’t run into more problems. ”

Rodimus looked up from his holopad. He’d already lost at tetris anyway. Having this practically ancient earth game installed on his device was possibly foolish time spent instead of inventing cool gadgets, but fuck it. Rodimus liked the nostalgia. Not that he had ever gotten to play tetris before. It’s the concept of the thing. He liked being reminded of his time on Earth, occasionally. The good things anyway.

Starscream was narrowing his eyes thoughtfully at the screen. He had been helping Rodimus, sitting next to him and half on his shoulder to get a good view to point at the screen. The booth they sat in at Swerve’s was plenty large enough for them to sit like normal mechs, but it was more comfortable this way.

“Honestly Rodimus, if you had turned that long block there you wouldn’t have lost. There’s a huge gap there, you could have gotten rid of those three rows and would have had more room to maneuver afterwards.” Starscream said, gesturing with his fingers on the screen to demonstrate. Rodimus could feel his quiet vents on his neck cables. It was nice.

Starscream was clearly ignoring Drift’s question. Maybe he thought it was meant to insult them.

“Hey, what do you mean?” Rodimus said, looking at Drift while holding the holopad closer to Starscream so he could start another game for himself. “You know I’m all about inter-faction diplomacy and all that stuff. And anyway, Star’s better than that.”

Drift had the decency to look almost apologetic. “No, I mean, you both won’t back down from whatever you want. Do you seriously always agree with each other?”

Rodimus grinned. 

“Hey! You never had a problem with me before! Ratchet is a bad influence on you, he’s rubbing his crass doctor vibes all over you and now you’re a jerk.” He said, handing the holopad entirely to Starscream now who was engrossed in it. Or seemed to be. Rodimus knew Starscream was probably paying very close attention to their conversation. Starscream took it, but continued to lean against Rodimus’s shoulder as he played the game.

“But no, there’s no way we always agree. Starscream’s an aft.”

Starscream then did look up, glanced at both Rodimus and Drift. “Certainly not. I just have a reputation to uphold. You seem to never give a damn about what anyone thinks.” He said. Then went back to his puzzle. Rodimus smiled wider. Drift also gave Rodimus an amused look. 

“Starscream’s a fun killer. But we handle it.” Rodimus continued. With his hands free, he absently drummed his fingers on the edge of the table. “Really important stuff, well, I guess we don’t ALWAYS agree. But we’re, you know, professionals. We discuss it. Still working on things.”

Drift tried to imagine that. Rodimus and Starscream sitting down at a meeting table discussing their relationship or something. Rodimus was never the type to be willing to talk things out before, he’d always ignore the problems until they got out of hand or unbearable. Then things would end, possibly disastrously. 

“But, usually it’s teeny tiny stuff. And we have our argument decider method so it’s all good. See, no problems.” Rodimus said. He looked slightly expectant, like he was asking Drift to be proud of him. 

Drift lifted his energon drink and tipped it towards Rodimus. “And what’s your decider? Rock paper scissors?” He smiled, “That’s not actually a legitimate way to resolve issues you know.”

Starscream reached for Rodimus’ drink with one hand, the other still holding the holopad. He raised the drink in a gesture. 

“Absolutely. He’s tried that. I don’t really understand it, or its logic. “ Starscream said, looking up at Drift with an amused expression. Drift smiled back conspiratorially. Camaraderie in not really getting that earth stuff. Although, to be fair, Drift still knew more than Starscream thanks to his brief time on the planet, but it was culturally different to the things Rodimus knew.

“Hey!” Rodimus grabbed his energon back and took a sip. He squinted at Starscream. “You said you didn’t want anything to drink. You aren’t allowed to mooch off me, Stars. And stop looking at eachother like you’re having some ex-Decepticon bonding moment over me knowing cool Earth stuff. Go make gooey eyes somewhere else.”

Starscream sat away from Rodimus, and put the holopad on the table. Rodimus immediately rested a hand casually on Starscream’s wing. It almost seemed like he hadn’t even thought to do it. 

“Am I not welcome here, Autobot?” Starscream said, feigning a haughty disdain. “Then I’ll take my ex-Decepticon compatriot with me and we’ll get a drink without you.” 

Drift lifted a hand over his mouth so Rodimus couldn’t see his grin. Then composed himself and gave a serious nod.

Rodimus reached with both hands to give Starscream a vaguely awkward embrace, pulling him closer to Rodimus so his head was back on his shoulder. Starscream seemed resigned to it and allowed the rough handling to happen.

“Hey! No being a jerk on my ship! We’re hanging out, and catching up with Drift, because I haven’t seen him in forever and he’s my best friend.” He said as Starscream sat against him with no complaints. 

_’They could almost be considered cute,'_ Drift thought. 

“But yeah,” Rodimus continued as though he didn’t have a big seeker lying against him, “We race.”

“You what?” Drift said.

“Y’know. Race. To settle stuff. The small stuff, like what movie to watch or if Stars should take the next day off of being King of the Cybertronians. He’s really fast. Like, so fast, Drift, it’s awesome. And of course, I’m the fastest. So we race.” Rodimus was grinning again. Blurr would probably have something to say about that little statement, but he wasn’t there to argue. 

Starscream looked at the holopad and picked it up. “Yes, Rodimus is surprisingly fast enough to keep up with even a Seeker jet occasionally. It makes for really interesting races. Winner gets their way, at least temporarily, loser takes it with grace. Or in Rodimus’s case, as much grace as he can muster.” 

Rodimus was practically shining with delight. 

Drift remembered when he and Rodimus would race on cybertron and other worlds. Wherever it was a big, flat, and empty space, they would want to take at least a couple minutes to exercise their wheels. Rodimus got antsy without taking on some speed every now and then, and Drift was one of the few on the Lost Light that could keep up. Rodimus was technically the faster sports car, but he’s easily distracted and likes to take the flashy way, which allowed Drift to pass him up.

He was kind of skeptical that Starscream could actually lose races as a jet, since he’d have less resistance in the air. But then realized that Starscream must not be using his extra thrusters that are used for space travel, and which make him travel almost subsonic. That would be a huge advantage for him, almost unfair.

Perhaps this relationship really _is_ good for the both of them.

Drift heard a quiet beep. It was a ping in his internal communications system from Ratchet. It read _‘Where are you? Why is there an untold amount of freaky rocks in my medical supplies box?’_

Ah, Ratchet must have found Drift’s meditation crystals. He couldn’t quite remember where he decided to store them before the two bots ended up on the Lost Light, sometimes he gets a little hazy after a very long and fulfilling relaxation ritual. 

He looked over to them as Starscream sat like a dignified cybertronian again, and Rodimus was smiling brightly at his companion. Drift must have missed some part of the conversation. He felt as though it wasn’t really with him, anyway.

“I have to go.” He said, smiling apologetically and standing up as Rodimus tried to keep the smile on his face but visibly slumped back a little. 

“Ah, right, yeah. Don’t leave the ship so soon though, ok?” Drift could hear something in Rodimus’s voice, although he couldn’t quite place it. 

“No worries,” Drift said, “Ratchet and I don’t want to leave any time soon. We practically just got here, after all.”

“Yes, after your grand adventures of saving everyone in the galaxy, I’ve heard.” Starscream smirked, and subtly put a gentle hand on Rodimus’s arm. “Well, go on. We’ll stay here a bit longer, I think I’ll have a drink, or whatever it is Swerve serves here.”

Rodimus, seemingly happy to have something to do, climbed onto his knees in the booth and ostentatiously waved over to the bar where Swerve was to catch his attention. Starscream’s hand was dislodged, but Rodimus immediately grabbed it in his own unpreoccupied one.

“See you then, Drift!” He said, glancing over and giving Drift a genuinely happy grin.

Drift turned and went on his way, sending Ratchet a message that consisted of _‘Those are mine! Don’t disturb them! I’ll be there in a few moments, I was just checking on something.’_


End file.
